20 restaurants for squash-themed dishes in Greater Phoenix

It's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown - and great squash, zucchini and other autumn vegetables. We found restaurants doing delicious things with all kinds of squashes, and you don't need to wait in a pumpkin patch all night.

No matter which entree you select at this dining room inside the Royal Palms Resort and Spa, pair it with the squash soufflé, a baked cloud with cranberries and crispy prosciutto in a sage cream sauce ($9).

End your meal with a fall favorite that's also vegan: butternut squash pie with an egg-free filling in a graham cracker crust prepared with butter substitute, topped with whipped coconut cream ($7 a slice).

If you've never had the pumpkin-bread pudding here, don't wait another minute. It's rich and dense, made with challa bread and bathed in a caramel-cinnamon sauce. It goes fast, so call ahead to make sure the kitchen hasn't run out of the popular dessert ($6.50 lunch, $7 dinner).

Among the several squash dishes featured on this elegant dining room's menu is the acorn squash tortelli, hand-rolled pasta stuffed with an acorn squash filling, garnished with toasted almonds and fried squash blossoms, then pooled in vin cotta, a red wine reduction sauce ($25).

Chef Charleen Badman gets into the feel of fall with slices of butternut squash hot off the mesquite grill, tossed with a remoulade of garlic and lemon, then sprinkled with toasted pumpkin seeds and drizzled with pumpkin oil. Have it as a side dish with any entrée ($7).

At this charming French bistro, spring for the Alsatian specialty flammekueche, a flatbread topped with meats, cheeses and veggies. The vegetarian variety is covered in zucchini slices, Cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, mushrooms, crème fraiche and a mound of fresh arugula salad ($13.95).

At this Southwestern restaurant at the Westin Kierland Resort and Spa, don't miss the squash blossom and tetilla cheese quesadilla, made with a puree of butternut squash and heirloom tomato pico de gallo ($13).

This gelato shop again features its seasonal pumpkin gelato, a frozen treat that puts a twist on pumpkin pie - rich and frosty but with all the spices that go into pie. Eat in a cup or a cone ($3.72, $4.75 and $5.73).

For a taste of fall at this intimate downtown-Tempe spot, try the Alaskan halibut ($28) served with shaved squash carpaccio, heirloom cucumbers and shaved fennel, finished with toasted pine nuts and arugula.

Stop in at this quaint cafe and bakery for a luscious pumpkin bar lathered with a cream-cheese frosting and sprinkled with nuts ($2.50). Come back during the holiday season and take home a whole pumpkin pie ($8) to accompany your Thanksgiving feast.

This casual cafe and dessert shop offers the Vegetarian ($6.50), a pita sandwich made with grilled zucchini, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, onions, peppers and hearts of palm. It's all tossed in a mustard-vinaigrette dressing and topped with provolone cheese. Nosh on hand-battered and deep-fried zucchini and mushrooms for $6.

Enjoy cool fall weather on the patio at this plush wine cafe and lounge with an order of butternut squash soup ($3.95 a cup, $5.95 a bowl). Then, order the antipasto board ($12.95), a sharable dish of prosciutto, salami, coppa ham, white Cheddar, Parmigiano-reggiano, roasted olives and ciabatta bread.

Squash your appetite, first with the Fritti Combo of fried zucchini and eggplant with your choice of two sauces ($4.99 and $7.99), then fill up on baked spaghetti squash, a lasagna-like dish with ricotta cheese topped with Alfredo and marinara sauces ($9.99 and $13.99).

A sweet thing to do to a pumpkin is to turn it into a pie. Get your seasonal pumpkin pie here through the end of the year - a traditional filling in a traditional crust ($2.69 a slice, $10.49 a whole pie).

Choose the Tuscan Grilled Vegetable Salad, a medley of grilled asparagus, squash, zucchini, eggplant and Portobello mushrooms, all resting on baby greens and dressed in balsamic dressing ($9). Finish with the new sugar-free pumpkin cheesecake, made with agave nectar and perched on a graham cracker cookie ($8).